The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens

The Emerald Atlas is a fabulous choice for the reader who is not ready to take on The Hobbit but is ready for a new quest  post-Lightning Thief.

“This is a Tolkien for 10-year-olds, chock-full of giants and dwarves, heroes and villains, and all of the wizarding magic we've grown to love. When three siblings discover a book with magical properties, all the hardships of their orphaned past are overshadowed by the trials that lie ahead. Each sibling uses his or her unique strengths to overcome great obstacles, including time itself, and finds the courage to save the lives of others. Read it aloud, and the whole family will enjoy this fresh adventure that pays homage to the fantasy greats that came before.”
—Angela K Sherrill, 57th Street Books, Chicago, IL  

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Stewart

ARE YOU A GIFTED CHILD Looking for special opportunities? When this peculiar ad appears in the newspaper, dozens of children enroll to take a series of mysterious, mind-bending tests. (And you, dear reader, can test your wits right alongside them.) But in the end just four very special children will succeed. Their challenge: to go on a secret mission that only the most intelligent and resourceful children could complete. To accomplish it they will have to go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules. As our heroes face physical and mental trials beyond their wildest imaginations, they have no choice but to turn to each other for support. But with their new found friendship at stake, will they be able to pass the most important test of all? Welcome to the Mysterious Benedict Society.

Caring children's librarian that I am, I can't help but think that Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire would have welcomed the opportunity to attend this institution, and would have fit right in. Alas, so would Count Olaf.

Summary from the MARINet catalog.